Richard III’s Leicester
- 1h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Your guides know Leicester well. They know the medieval history too. Have fun visiting the key sites in the company of someone who can tell all the stories, as well as answer any questions you might have. You’ll see places that are not easy to find, and come away with a love for King Richard’s life and times. The tour works perfectly with your own visit to the tomb in the Cathedral and to the Richard III visitor centre.
Inclusions
What's included
- Entrance fee
Itinerary
You will hear about the political background to the period and the amazing story of how the youngest son of a Duke came to be king. We’ll explore what Richard was like as person and start to unpick his reputation.
We visit the site of the Blue Boar Inn, where Richard spent his last night in Leicester.
The tour follows in Richard footsteps as he left the city for the Battle of Bosworth, seeing the Roman ruins and Saxon church that he would have known.
You get to pass by the bridge where, according to legend, Richard received a fateful prophecy on 21 August 1485
We enjoy the castle gardens, and its defensive position behind the River Soar. One tradition maintained that Richard’s body was thrown into the river at this point.
Your guide will inform you about the strong links between Richard’s family and this church, and we go in to the Norman foundation (12.00 and 2pm tours only) to explore the historic atmosphere.
Climbing the steps of the Motte, we enjoy the view and learn more about the role of castles in Richard’s time.
Walking this old street, we feel the past and learn about the church (long since demolished) where Richard’s body was laid out.
Your guide will take you round the back of the centre to see the famous car park where the skeleton was found, and we learn about the science used by archaeologists to prove an identity.
The tour ends outside the Cathedral, with a reflection on the Royal Tomb, the crafts people who made it, and the meaning of the design and its symbols.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 52
- 40
- 30
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 2 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- The statue is right outside the Richard III Visitor Centre, and in front of the Cathedral.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Walk and Talk History Tours
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Leicester
- Its from-price is 84% below the median of the 16 experiences we list in Leicester.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 7 of 16.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Leicester
Leicester, on the River Soar in the East Midlands, has a Roman wall, a cathedral that holds Richard III's tomb, a space museum and a famed Indian quarter.
Leicester stands on the River Soar in the East Midlands, a city that has been settled since Roman times, when it was the town of Ratae Corieltauvorum. The Jewry Wall, a tall stretch of Roman masonry beside the ruins of a bath house, still rises next to the church of St Nicholas. The cathedral holds the tomb of Richard III, whose remains were found in 2012 beneath a car park nearby and reburied in 2015, and a visitor centre in the old grammar school tells the story.
